Support for reading matter



. P 1957 N. l'. STARK 2,807,369

SUPPORT FOR READING MATTER Filed Jan. 21, 1948 INVEN RF Patented Sept. 24, 1957 2,807,369 SUPPORT FOR READING MATTER Nathan Stark, West Orange, N. 1.; Dorothy Stark, adminlstratrix of said Nathan I. Stark, deceased Application January 21, 1948, Serial No. 3,482 3 Claims. (Cl. 2112) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in supports for reading matter and supports having l ne-guide means for written or typed sheets; the present mvention constituting an improvement on the IHVCHUOD disclosed in a prior Patent Number 1,942,456 granted the applicant on January 9, 1934 for Bookholder.

For the purposes of this invention, the term reading matter used herein is hereby defined to include pictures, maps, charts and the like.

An important object of this invention is the provision of a support for general reading matter that may be placed so that it is always handy for immediate use.

Another important object of this invention is the provislon of a pair of book-ends, each engageable with the cover-boards of a book and adapted to prop said book in an open position at a suitable angle for reading or copymg therefrom.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a pair of book-ends, each engageable with the cover-boards of a book and adapted to be secured in place thereon to prevent sliding when propping said book in an open position for reading or copying therefrom.

Another and important object of this invention is to provide a support for written or typed sheets having guide means for determining readily one line from another when copying.

Still further objects of this invention include the provision of a support for general reading matter, that is extremely simple in construction, thoroughly efiicient and which affords an economical support for the purposes intended and which may be manufactured at a minimum cost. These objectives are best attained by making the support of shaped transparent material.

With these and other objects in view, this invention therefore consists in the subject matter herein described, illustrated in the drawing, and set forth in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views and which best illustrate the invention in some of its various uses and/ or combinations.

Figure l is a perspective view of a single support unit embodying this invention. The device, in the position shown in this figure may serve as a single book-end;

Figure 2 shows a pair of units as shown in Figure 1 assembled to form an easel stand which may serve to hold small books;

Figure 3 shows a pair of unitsas shown in Figure 1 assembled to form a support for letters and the like or serve as book-ends;

Figure 4 shows a pair of units as shown in Figure 1, each engaging one of the cover-boards of a book to prop it up in an open position;

Figure 5 shows a pair of units as shown in Figure 1 assembled closer together than in Figure 3 to form a support or frame for pictures;

Figure 6 shows one of the units of Figure 1 used as a line guide holding a printed sheet; and

Figure 7 shows a pair of units as shown inFigure 1 assembled to form an easel stand and shown supporting a folded newspaper.

The sheet material used in carrying out this invention is preferably made from sheets of acrylic resin plastic material, but with the exception of where transparency is required, opaque materials may be used instead, such as metal or other suitable materials. v

In Figure 1 of the drawing theparticular embodiment shown for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention, comprises a tapered base 8, having openings 9 and 10 therein and connected at an angle to a tapered prop-member 11 by resilient-member 12 which has lobes 13 and 14 disposed laterally in the same plane as base 8, extending beyond surface 15 of base 8 forming space 16 between base 8, prop-member 11 and lobes 13 and 14.

Opening 9 is elongated and of a width to accommodate a finger to move freely therein and stop against edge 17. Opening 10 is of suflicient diameter to accommodate a thumb-tack or other suitable tacking means therethrough to prevent slipping of support on book covers when used to prop up book for reading or copying therefrom.

In Figure 2 the prop-member 11 of one support engages surface 15. and lobes 13 and 14 of a similar support to form an easel stand with resilient-member 12 serving as a prop for the front end of the easel stand.

In Figure 3 the narrow portion of base 8 of one unit slides into space 16 of the other unit. The space 16 is provided for this purpose, and when assembled in this way, the prop-members 11 will remain substantially perpendicular to base 8. A pair of supports assembled as shown here serve as a stationery rack, with pencils 18 held in place thereon by contour of resilientmember 12.

In Figure 4 the inner surface of cover-boards 19 and 20 of book 21 are engaged by the surface 15 of each base 8 at either side of binding 22 while lobes 13 and 14 of each support engage the outer surface of bookcovers 19 and 20 so prop-member 11 will elevate book 21 to suitable angle for reading or copying therefrom;

hole 10 in each support (shown in Figure 1) may serve to place a thumb-tack or other suitable tack therethrough into the inside of cover-boards 19 and 26 to secure supports in position against slipping in rough handling.

In Figure 5 the assembly is similar to that shown in Figure 3 with the exception that the supports are closer together with a picture disposed between prop-members 11.

Figure 6 shows the support unit in use as a line guide. The unit is so mounted that it rests upon an end edge of base member 8 and an end edge of prop member 11. A typed or printed sheet is rolled up from the bottom, with its typed face out, and the roll is inserted in the tubular space 24 within the resilient loop 12 which, for this purpose, is made of transparent material. The rolled sheet exposes only two or three lines 25 of reading matter at a time, and is gradually unrolled so as to bring suc cessive lines into scanning position. As here shown, the sheet has been almost Wholly unrolled, and the used end has passed under the supporting edge of the base member 8. Unrolling of the sheet may be effected by grasping the roll and unwinding. Alternatively, a finger may be inserted through slot 9 in base 8, until it touches the sheet 23, and presses it against surface 26. Movement of the finger to the end 17 of slot 9 then unwinds the sheet 23 for a determinate distance, ensuring uniform step-by-step operation.

In Figure 7 the prop-member 11 of one support engages surface 15 and lobes 13 and 14 of a similar support to form an easel stand with base 8 serving as a prop for the front end of the easel stand. This assembly is adapted to support folded newspaper 27 at a suitable angle for reading. 1

WhileI have described and illustrated herein one form of my invention I'do not wish to be limited to the constructional features disclosed,

The invention claimed is:

1. A jsupport for reading matter comprising a unitary sheet of resilient material considerably greater in length than in width, said sheet diminishing in width between itsmid-section and one end, and being bent upon itself in a region intermediate its ends, the portion of undiminished width being reversely bent in a region remote from the end of diminishing width, and having a transverse recess in the region of said reverse bend of sufiicient dimension to straddle a portion of the end of diminished width.

2. A support for reading matter comprising a resilient body formed from a tapered sheet of material bent on itself and havingthe ends thereof extended into planes at divergent angles one to the other to form a base and a prop member having tapering sides, the wider end of said tapered sheet being provided with a transverse indentation intermediate its side portions at the locus of divergencc of said planes, said indentation being of sufiicient extent to accommodate the narrow end of a counterpart support,

3. A support for reading matter comprising a tubular body of pear shape in cross-section formed by looping a central portion of sheet material on itself, said sheet having the ends thereof extending into planes substantially at right angles one to the other, to form a base and a prop-member, said prop-member having lateral portions disposed in the same plane with said base, and being transversely recessed in a region intermediate its marginal edges and adjacent the base member to fit the base of a similar support, whereby, the prop-member of each support will remain substantially perpendicular to its base when the base of one support is engaged by the opening of another similar support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 12,642 Schade Apr. 23, 1907 Re.l18,443 Fisk et a1. Jan. 9, 1940 149,751 Hall Apr. 14, 1874 490,569 Lehman Jan. 24, 1893 985,288 Schade Feb. 28, 1911 1,130,559 Allen Mar. 2, 1915 1,208,687 Steinbrum Dec. 12, 1916 1,795,526 Turner Mar. 10, 1931 1,912,229 Spurr May 30, 1933 1,942,456 Stark Jan. 9, 1934 2,117,668 Johnson May 17, 1938 2,151,269 Grant Mar. 21, 1939 2,223,308 Rovell Nov. 26, 1940 2,226,773 Johnson Dec. 31, 1940 2,304,795 Bricker Dec. 15, 1942 2,409,814 Vargish Oct. 22, 1946 2,428,519 Gustafson Oct. 7, 1947 FORElGN PATENTS 22,741 Germany June 13, 1883 

